“Because I care too much about you,” he snapped at her, feeling frustrated. “I don’t want to hurt you. Accidents happen… and I can’t…” He sat back down on the couch and took a deep breath. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he wanted to hurt her physically even less. It was the argument he’d built up in his head for himself over and over again, but she seemed to insist on trying to pick it apart.
“It isn’t the worst thing that could happen, but it’s damn near it,” he told her finally. He hesitated a moment, considering what he could say to possibly make her understand. They were going in circles. He felt like he’d made this argument earlier in their conversation, so there was almost no use in repeating it. “I am not worth that risk, Dora.”